A bus rolls up to a small ruined town, when the bus rolled to a stop, Mike, a young man stepped off, he looked around sizing up the town. It looked like something out of an apocalypse movie, abandoned buildings, ruin down stores, trash littering the streets, and not a soul to be found. Mike knew why, everyone was afraid of the war that sat on the horizon, humans had discovered the supernatural world, there was a war coming humans and their protectors versus everything else, though he wasn’t human himself: Mike would side with them in the war. Mike was a sort of half blood, half god, and half demon. His kind was called Malachai, a creature created in a long forgotten war of the gods, way back near the begins of humanity: Malachai’s are cursed to suffer and never be able to love for all eternity, this is due to the gods actions against the first Malachai . The reason he was in the town was do to the fact he was half blood, he sensed another creature nearby, as powerful as him, this half blood was the essentially the anti him. This half blood he sensed was half god, half angel, this was called a Sephirii, the only creature able to match a Malachai in battle, Sephirii’s usually lived lives filled with love on compassion, though they are usually enslaved to the gods from the light side, for example the greek gods. Mike knew his brother Zack would use this creature to enslave humanity, and Mike was determined to reach it first and train it to help him protect them instead. He knew that he would have to do that, or kill it, for the future of humanity rested with someone that didn’t yet know the power they had hidden deep inside of them. But Mike hardly knew what he was getting himself into, for him, the hardest part of his journey would be leaving his wife and kid, yes Mike was the only Malachai to be able to love another living creature, Mike’s hardships were only just beginning as he walked down the street of the town.

Mae, crawled out of the “hidey hole” she had slept in, she was eight almost nine and alone in the world before her parents had died. She looked at her dirty and torn school uniform the nun had given her, she knew that she needed a clothes but before she could think of where to look her stomach growled, she walked out of the alley in search of food, forgetting about her dress for the moment. Mae came across an abandoned store, she went inside looking for candy, she found some old hard candy, she sighed stating “I wanted to find chocolate” as she popped the candy into her mouth she smiled savoring the tasted, then she froze as a voice spoke behind her.”what are you doing here?”

Mike stood in the entrance to the alleyway, staring at the little girl, guessing she was around nine, normally he would have ignored a small child wandering the streets but he sensed that this might be the one he seeks, seeing that the girl was frozen in fear, he opened his mouth to try to comfort her, but before he could the girl boulted for the a open window, mike ran outside in time to see her run down an alley ”wait!” He ran down the alley after her, he slowed  to a walk as he caught up with her, she was stacking boxes against a fence trying to make a staircase to escape with. “do you want some help there?” Mike stopped keeping his distance from the girl not wanting to scare her off again, “no, im eight almost nine and i can take care of myself mister” she replied. Mike laughed at her bravo,”I’m sure you are, but-” Mike was interrupted by a low growl one he had heard before. The girls face went from calm to fear in seconds, she ran off crawling into a hole as something leaped over the fence and onto Mike. He kicked it off, it was a werewolf, as mike summoned his blade more jumped over the fence and surrounded him. Mike waited for them to make the first move, as the werewolfs attacked Mike swung his sword through the air, it became a blur slicing and hacking through one after another of the werewolfs, a few manage to sink their teeth into his leg and back, Mike simply smacked them off and cut them apart. When he finished off the last werewolf Mike turned to the hole the little girl had crawled into.

Mae laid in her hidey hole, scared of the wolf people fighting the man, when she heard the fighting stop she crawled out of her hole, seeing the man with a sword, beaten and bloody she ran, but she tripped and scraped her knee badly. The man appeared in front of her blocking the entrance and only exit from the alley, Mae got up and stared at the man, the man spoke first “what are you doing out here all alone, where are your parents?”
“I was looking for food, and my mommy and daddy are in__________ cemetary.”
The mans voice saddened as he heard about her mom and dad  “listen, this is a dangerous world, you need someone to look after you, if you want I will look after you,”
Mae crossed her arms,”I don’t need a babysitter mister, I’m a big girl almost nine, I don’t even cry when I get hurt,”
The man sighs,”then don’t think of me as your babysitter, think of me as your protector or guardian, but it is your choice and I will respect your decision, but if you're going to continue on your own, at least let me clean you up.”
The man waves his hand, the dirt disappears from her school uniform, the tears mend themselves, and her knee heals. Mae stares at her clothes the uniform looking newer then when she got it, she returns to staring at the man with her eyes opened wide.
”how did you do that mister?”,
The man smiles stepping out of her way,”it’s just one of the many things I can do. Now do you want me to look after you or not?”
Mae walks up to the man, and holds up her arms as if wanting him to pick her up. The man pick up Mae and place her on his shoulders,
“hey mister what’s your name?”
”My names Mike, and what is yours little one?”
She yawn, falling asleep on Mike’s shoulder,”My names Mae, Mister Mike,” Mae fell asleep on mike’s shoulders as he walks back to his house.

Mike walked into his room with Mae on his shoulders, he set her down on his bed, then walk out of the room,closing the door, and sat down on his couch. He thought it was strange that a even though Mae was so young he could sense her power, but he put those thoughts aside as he healed his own wounds. “for once none of my wounds are bad enough to leave a scar,” Mike lays down on his couch and falls asleep. He’s woken the next morning to Mae jumping on his chest,
”wake up mister mike, I’m hungry” Mike laughs and sits up, he turns to Mae,
“so what do you want to eat?”
Mae thinks for a second, “candy!” Mike laughs again,
”well, you can’t have candy, how about chocolate chip pancakes with bacon?”
Mae stares at mike, a puzzled look on her face,”Mister mike what’s bacon?”
he stares at Mae, trying to think of how to answer it,”well, bacon is one of humanity's best creations, anyway, your foods on the table”
Mae, stares at him, “when did you make it mister mike?”
mike smiles at her”just now”
Mae, runs over to the table and begins eating the food, wondering how mike made it so fast. When she finished her meal Mike picked her up and put her on his shoulders, he walked outside and leaned on the balcony. ”so mae, what do you want to do today?”
“Mister Mike how far away is Oh-klah-homa?” she shared at Mike wondering if she said it right.
“oh, it’s just over yonder” Mike laughed at his joke, Mae looked at him with a confused look on her face,
”Mister Mike, where is yonder?”
“forget about it Mae, i was just trying to be funny, you're too young to understand the joke,”
“oh, ok, can we go to oklahoma?”
“Sure Mae, just hold on tight.” Mike snapped his fingers and they both disappeared.

Rose sat in an opened field alone, that was the way she wanted it, if there was a perfect picture for emo, she was it. Wearing all black, well, at least what was left of her clothes were black, her black her helped the appearance as well. She certainly had the attitude of an emo, but it was not her choice, she had to separate herself from the world, because anything she touched seemed to turn to ash, even people, she shuddered as painful memories returned once again to haunt her. She stared at her gloved hand, the glove was one of the few things that didn’t whittle away when it touched her skin, and was the only thing that allowed her to touch other things. Rose let out a deep sigh, she was so tired of being alone, but she didn’t want to hurt anyone else, she looked down into the water as more painful memories returned, she didn’t even notice the man and little girl appear out of thin air a little ways away from her.

As they appeared mike set Mae, down,”we’re here mae, now you can go run around and play in the-”
“Flowers!” mae, interrupted mike and ran off, he called after her “Mae, if you need me call me”
She didn’t break a stride as she waved back at him, “ok mister mike”
Mae went off picking all the flower she thought were the prettiest. Mike laughed as he lied back against a tree and relaxed,
”at the rate she’s going there won’t be many flowers left.”
Mae came up to a deep chasm, she looked down into it, ”Mister Mike!”
Mike materialized beside her,”yes Mae, what is it?”
“what is this called mister mike?”
Mike looked down into the raiven,”it’s called a raiven Mae, there’s a river at the bottom that over hundreds of years carved into the rock, creating this chasm called a raiven”
Mae, stuck her head out further, teetering over the edge,”wow, there’s really water down there?”
Mae, backs away, standing up as she brushes dirt off of her clothes,”Thanks mister mike,” she runs off and continues picking flowers, Mike walks back to the tree and relaxes again. Mae wonder around, picking flowers when she looked up and saw a girl with a flower in her hands, the flower turned to ash.
“Mister mike!”
Mike appeared next to her,”what is it mae?”
Mae ran behind him and hide behind his leg, peeking out out the girl. “mister mike, she’s hurting the flowers, why are you hurting the flowers miss, what they do?”
Mike looked at Mae, then looked to the girl, he stared for a second. The girl startled by Mae and Mike ran off,
Mike looked down to Mae, “It’s getting pretty late Mae, I think we should go home,” He picked Mae and put her on his shoulders,
“Mister mike, why was she hurting the flowers?” she yawned,
“well, Mae I don’t believe she can help it,” Mike teleported them to his house, laying Mae on the bed,
“mister mike, do you think i hurt her feelings?”
“i don’t know Mae, with some people it’ hard to tell, now go to sleep” he left the bedroom and went to sleep on the couch. Mae laid in bed, thinking about the girl, she knew she had to apologize if she hurt her feelings, but before she could get out of bed to tell Mike, Mae fell asleep.

Mike was woken again by Mae jumping on his chest, “Mister Mike, Mister Mike, can you take us back to oklahoma i need to tell that lady i'm sorry for hurting her feelings”
“ok, ok, settle down we’ll go back but first eat your breakfast.” Mea jumps off him and crosses her arms, “No, we go now, what if she dies Mister Mike, mommy and daddy died while i was eating breakfast,”
“Mae, that girl is still going to be there, I think she can take care of herself,”
“Mister Mike, what is she’s in trouble right now, please let’s go now, ill eat when we get back,” Mike let out a sigh, “ok, ok, Mae, jesus there’s no arguing with you is there, come on let’s go” Mike teleported them to the field once more, Mae began running around looking under rocks and behind shrubs looking for the girl from yesterday, “Miss, Miss, where are you, i want to say I'm sorry for hurting your feelings,”
Mike looked around seeing that a tree had some degree of decay on it and that everything around it was also dead, he turned to Mae “hey Mae, i think she’s behind that tree,”

Rose was woken by what sounded like a little girl shouting, and no sooner had she looked up, had a little girl, the same little girl from yesterday thrown her around around rose. Rose quickly looked down, checked to make sure her gloves were on, relief filled her as she saw the where. Rose then looked at the little girl, who started to talk right away.
“Miss I’m so sorry if i hurt your feelings yesterday, I wasn’t trying to be mean, i was just scared and thought you were hurting the flowers on purpose, but Mister Mike told me that you don’t have a choice whether or not you hurt things it’s just something that happens, What’s your name miss?”
Rose had to take a second to take in everything the girl was saying, she looked and the little girl, then to the man standing a few feet away, a proud look on his face, then turning back to the girl, “My names Rose, don’t worry you didn’t hurt my feelings, I’m used to people being scared of me, but thank you for coming back to say your sorry any way. What’s you name?”
the little girl looked up, “Your name is Rose, like the flower, that’s so cool Miss Rose, my names Mae, and that’s Mister Mike.”
Mae pointed to the man, who gave a nod. “Mae, is Mike your dad?”
“No, he just takes care of me, mommy and daddy are at _________cemetary,”
“Oh, I’m sorry,”
“Don’t be Miss Rose, I’m 8 almost 9 and I can take care of myself, Mister Mike found me in a alley and took me home after he saved me from wolf-people,”
Mae turned to Mike, “Mister Mike can Miss Rose come home with us?”
Mike responded without hesitation “Of course she can Mae, but only if she wants to,”
Mae turned back to Rose, “what do you say Miss Rose, do you want to come live with us, that way you won’t be around people that are scared of you, you’ll be with friends,”
Rose was stunned by this unexpected kindness, she was used to people shunning her or trying to kill her, “Uh, I don’t want to trouble you,-”Mike interrupted “it wouldn’t be any trouble at, and you’ll quickly find out there’s no arguing with Mae once she’s made up her mind”
“well then, I  happy to come and stay with you two for away,” Mae smiled at Rose, pleased that she had got her way once again, turning to Mike she said, “Let’s go home now Mike I’m hungry”
“alright everyone hold hands,”

No sooner had the materialized in the livingroom had Mae ran over to the table and started shoving food in her mouth, “Mae slow down, and for the love of the gods chew your food,” Mae slowed down and chewed as Mike had asked, he and rose walked out of earshot sitting on the couch.
“Rose, you don’t have to worry about turning anything in here to dust here, everything magically protected, also my kind doesn’t wither away.”
Rose looked both relieved and curious “Mike, are you Mae’s father?”
“No, I’m her guardian or protector take your pick, I found her a few weeks ago in a alley, and I’ve looked after her ever since,”
“ok, next question, what are you?”
Mike sighed,”I am a dark creature, half god, half demon, most people call my kind Malachai, and I suppose your next question is what Mae is correct?”
Rose nodded. “Mae is half angel, half god, people call those creatures Sephirii, and she is the only thing that can stop my brother Zack, who betrayed me, killed everyone I had ever cared about and is bent on destroying the world.”
“oh, I’m sorry about your brother”
“Don’t be, the past is the past, if you dwell on it too long you’ll miss both the present and the future.” Rose nodded understanding some of his pain, and his not wanting pity or to discuss further.
Mike stared at Rose for a moment, “let me ask you something have you always had the problem with turning everything you touch into ash?”
Rose thought a moment, “yeah, ever since I can remember why?”
“Because I believe it may be a curse, and if it is, I might be able to uncurse you.”
Rose’s face light up, then sank back down,”and if it’s not a cure?”
“Then I might be able to help you control the power, so you’ll be able to turn it on and off,”
Rose’s face light up once again, happy that there was a chance she could be normal or at least close to it.

It had taken a few months of testing to discover that Rose wasn’t cruse, then it had taken a year before she had finally Mastered her powers. She was now able to turn them on and off at will, though she vowed to only use them to help people and only to hurt things that made a clear intention on killing her, which happened about every other week with Mike and Mae. Mae still slept in Mike’s bed, Rose had taken the guest bedroom, and Mike had taken the couch; he had fought Rose on it insisting that as long as she lived with them she should have a bed, Rose eventually just gave up letting Mike have the couch. Though he still woke most mornings to Mae bouncing on his chest. It was Mae’s tenth birthday today, not all went as planned, Mike decided that it would be safe to go out somewhere if Mae wanted, of course she did and they were attacked. Mike fought them off but he wounded up with and arrow in his chest and a dislocated shoulder. Rose helped Mike into the room setting him down on the couch, Mae sat down next to him as Rose grabbed the arrow and turned it into dust. “I’m sorry Mister Mike.” She sounded as if she was about to cry, Mike looked at her smiling. “Mae, what are you sorry for, you did nothing wrong,” Mae sniffled before responding,”But if i hadn’t of wanted to go out for my birthday you wouldn’t of been hurt.”
Mike smiled again, “Mae, you can’t live your whole life in fear, hiding in here from your enemies. You have to go out and see the world, when your older of course, but for now don’t be sorry if anyone is to blame it’s those that attacked us, for ruining your birthday. Now cheer up, we still have to sing, eat cake and icecream, and then finally open your presents.”
“yo-you mean we can still have my birthday?”
Rose spoke this time. “of course Mae, nothing shall stop us from doing that, now go get cleaned up.”
Mae turned to Mike, “but Mister Mike is hurt,”
“I’ll be fine Mae, now go get cleaned up,” Mae nodded running off to her room.
Rose looked at Mike, “you can’t keep pushing yourself like this you’re going to hit your limit eventually,”
Mike sighed popping his shoulder back into place. “Rose for now I must suffer for her shake, Mae is still too young, and as you already know I am willing to lay down my life if it means she will live,”
Rose sighed, “it’s pointless to argue with you, now I know where she gets her stubbornness from”
Mike laughed at Rose’s joke, little did they know Mae heard everything, she was standing behind them. “Mister Mike, what am I too young for?”
Rose jumped at the sound of Mae’s voice, though Mike just turned around as if he knew she was there. “Many things Mae, you’ll understand when you’re older, but for now let’s eat cake,” Mike, Mae, and Rose walked over to the table were a cake was sitting. Rose and Mike sang happy birthday, after that they all ate the cake, then it was finally time for presents. Mae got many things, a few new dresses, some toys, but one gift remained unopened, Mike wanted it to be the last thing she opened. When she took out the strange white bow, arrows, and quiver from the box, she stared at Mike with a puzzled look.
“Mae, I think it’s time I showed you have to fight, but because I don’t want you to get hurt I thought a bow would be best, that way you can sit back and aid me from afar,”
A large smile stretched across Mae’s face, she jumped up hugging Mike, “thank you, thank you, Mister Mike,” Mae then laughed, “now I can protect you inside of hiding, soon no one will be able to hurt you again,”
Mike and Rose laughed with her, Mike patted Mae on the head. “yep, you got that right Mae,”
Mae smiled, she notched an arrow, releasing it, Mike barely had time to move as it hit the wall behind him, he span around looking at where the arrow had landed, he laughed. The arrow had hit the center of a bullseye on a calendar on the wall. “Well, looks like you're a natural Mae, but let’s wait until I can train you to properly shoot, that way you don’t take one of our heads off ok?”
Mae smiled, “ok mister Mike, can I go play with my presents?”
Rose looked at mae, responding before Mike, “of course Mae, it’s still your birthday after all.”
Mae gathered up her things and ran into her room, Rose turned to Mike, “Mike, I.....I...” she looked down trying to find the words.
Mike spoke before she could, “I know Rose you want to go out into the world, find your own way,”
Rose looked at him in shock. “how did you know?”
“Rose it’s not that hard to see, Mae will understand as long as you come back once in a while, but it would help if you told her, but tell her the truth,” Rose nodded, walking over to Mae’s bedroom, she went to knock on the door, her hand hovering over the door. Rose tried to think of what to say, after a few minutes she gulped down her fear and knocked.

Mae looked up hearing a knock, she stood brushing herself off and walked to the door, opening it, she stared at Rose with her sweet innocent eyes. “Yes Miss Rose?”
“Mae, i have something I need to tell you, mind if I came in your room?”
Mae nodded stepping out of the doorway. Rose walked in rubbing her neck, “Mae, I....I-I’m leaving, it’s nothing you or Mike have done, nor is it either of you. I....just want to go out and see the world, you know, maybe find true love.” Rose sighed deeply. “I’m not really good at this, but I’ll come back and visit often,”
Mae nodded, smiling before she spoke. “Miss Rose it’s fine, I understand what you mean, go out into the world and be happy, but if you ever are in trouble me and Mister Mike are here for you.”
Rose smiled grabbing Mae and hugging her.”Mae your the most wonderful, sweet, and kind little girl, don’t ever forget that, I can never forget what you and Mike have done for me, nor can i ever thank you enough, you two gave me a second chance at life. I’m going to go pack, Mae don’t ever change who you are, ok, Can you promise me that?”
Mae smiled nodding her head. “ok, Miss Rose i promise”
Rose went off to pack, the goodbye was filled with tears as she went on her way down the road, forever grateful for meeting those two.

{now the story line will jump ahead ten years.}

Mike was laying on the couch, over the years he had earned many scars protecting Mae, she was now 21, and each time they fought against their enemies sh seemed to need him less and less. She had even saved him during the last fight which he was still recovering from, Mike hadn’t aged at all, one of the few perks of being a Malachi. Mae walked out of her bedroom, she had grown into what everyone woman strived to be, her was long, for some reason she had dyed it blonde, her eyes still a crystal blue, a few of she was able to master the bow as long as a few of her own powers, she could heal almost anything. She had been around Mike for so long that she thought of him as a father even called him dad a few times, she looked down at him. “hey Mike I’m going out, be back in a few hours” Mike sighed, “fine but only because I’m too tired to deal with your stubbornness for now, don’t stay out too long.”
Mae sighed, walking towards the door.”yes father.”
Mike sat up groaning from the pain, “What?”
“nothing!” Mae quickly shut the dooring blushing a little. Inside Mike layed back down as a shadow appeared over him.

Mae walked back to the apartment a few hours later, the door was broken off it’s hinges and covered in black soot, she armed herself with her bow, she had made it herself since her first had grown to small, notching an arrow she walked inside. “what did you do now Mike?”
A dark evil and demonic laughter filled the room, going out into the parking lot, there stood a man who looked exactly like Mike, only his eyes were only filled with evil and blood lust, “Hello my dear I don’t believe we’ve been properly introduced. I am Zack,” Mae drew back her arrow aiming at Zack, “what have you done with Mike?”
Zack laughed, “oh yes my weak brother, why he’s right here,” Zack drove a blade into a man laying at his feet, twisting it to cause the most pain. Mike laid there, he looked up at Mae, “MAE RUN!”
“Let him Go!” Mae fired her arrow, zack pick up Mike and used him to block it, Mike screamed as the arrow pierced his chest, Zack then threw him back to the ground like trash. “come now no need to be hostile, Join me Mae, and I’ll allow Mike to have a quick death, or don’t and be forced to watch him die slowly, then be killed yourself. I really don’t care which it is.”
“Mae Run!”
Mae, back and forth to both of them, unsure what to do, “Leave him alone!”
“tsk, tsk, my dear, Mike is going to die, it’s up to you as how painful it is.” Zack drove two more blades into Mike, laughing as he twisted them, savoring his brothers screams.
“Stop it, just Stop!” Mae stood there, crying, she, she had to end Mike’s suffering, she owed him that much. “I’ll.....I’ll join you,....just...just give me a minute to say goodbye to him, he was like a father to me.”
“very well, you may have 60 seconds,” Zack vanished in a puff of smoke, smiling demonically.
“M...Mae,..please run for once listen to me and run.”
“sh, Mike savor your strength, I-I can’t leave you here, please just rest,”
Mike slowly got up, a black steel sword forming in his hands, “Mae, you're one of the few things that matter in my life, and one of the few things I’d die to protect, Now run, I’ll hold me brother off as long as I can.”
“NO! i can’t leave you to your death” Mike smiled placing his hand on her shoulder, “Mae, you’ve grown so much, you’ve made me proud, you have your whole life ahead of you, I have lived mine and have only a few regrets. If I don’t survive this, I need you to do something for me, I need you to find my son, you two will need each other,”
Tears fell from Mae’s face, “o-ok,.......I....I love you dad,” she hugged him, before turning and running away, Mike looked at her as she ran calling out. “I love you too Mae, you will always be the daughter I never had!” Mike steady his blade, a dark aura began to grow around him as his brother returned, clapping slowly.”aw, that was so touching, to bad you both must die now,”
The dark aura intensified around Mike, his skin began turning black as night, and his voice became dark and demonic, the Malachi was being unleashed. “You have taken everything I have ever cared about and either turned it against me, or destroyed it brother, But no more, you regain of terror ends HERE AND NOW!!!” The jet black armor of the Malachi formed around Mike, wings sprouted from his back, his eyes were now filled with blood-lust, he let out a scream that could be heard for miles, and then finally lunging at his brother. Their swords became a blur of darkness, sparks began flying, a storm formed over head, each time their swords met, lightning struck down from the sky. They both flew up into the clouds the lightning illuminating the battle. Mae was running away, her vision blurred by tears, she heard Mike scream. She froze in place and curled up into a ball crying. Back in the sky Mike slammed his brother back down to earth, landing a few feet from Mae in a large crater, Mike held his blade his blade to his brothers throat, in his eyes there was a small glimmer of his old self remaining, fighting to stay alive against the evil of the Malachi. Mae walked down into the crater, she stared at Mike. “Mike don’t do it!” Mike turn his head towards her, shooting a glare that made Mae flinch, “Please Mike, don’t become him, come back to me, please dad,” Mike looked down at his blade,throwing it aside, he grabbed his head screaming in pain as a battle waged in his mind, Zack took the moment to slip away. Mike screamed several times as he slowly returned to his old self, he walked over to Mae, putting his arms around her, “Thank you Mae, I almost lost myself, come on we should go get something to eat,” Mike tried to walk forward but stumbled, Mae held him up, allowing him to use her for support, the came to the outside of a bar, “Mae, set me down outside, I’ll be only be a minute go order something,” Mae, was a little worried, but Zack didn’t look to be in any condition to bother them so she left him there.

Mike leaned against the wall, he knew what was going to happen, he had known it since the beginning, so when his brother appeared in front of him and lifted him off the ground he wasn’t surprised, nor did he flinch when his brother drove a blade through his stomach. Mike stared at his brother who was, bloody, beaten, and broken. Mike almost felt sorry for him, still this is what he had to do. Mae came out, tears in her eye’s, he turned to look at her, smiling, “Mae, I’m sorry it turned out this way, but I need you to promise me a few things, One, live your life for me, and won’t ever give up, Two, find my son, he should be about the same age as you and share many of the same qualities as me, you two will need each other, and Finally, I need you to forgive me for doing this, there is no other way.” For the first time in his life, Mike allowed a tear to fall from his face. “Goodbye Mae, and good luck.” Mike placed his hands on his brother’s shoulders, they both disappeared in an explosion of light and darkness, the two Malachi had ceased to exist, such is how almost all Malachi are crushed to end.

Mae ran over to the spot where Mike has just been, searching hopelessly for some sign he was alive, finding none she fell to the ground crying, she curled her legs under her, and buried her face in her knees. Mae sat there crying for minutes, hours? she wasn’t sure, she felt a hand on her shoulder, she looked up staring at whoever had placed their hand on her shoulder.